stephenson



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. STEPHENSON.

- Tram Car. No. 235,311. Patented Dec. 7,1880.

' wfiaddf, I 1721mm??? M A Q MM 3Sheets-Sheet 2. J; STEPHENSON.

Tram Car. No. 235,311. Patented Dec. 7,1880

. z kwwa paw W0 4 ark-0y N.FETER8. PHOTO UTHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON- D C.

' 3Sheets-Sheet3. J. STEPHENSON. Tram Car. No. 235,311. Patented Dec.7,1880.

N.FE|'ERS. PHOTO-LITHQGRAPHER, WASHINGYON, a C.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFIQEO JOHN STEPHENSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TRAM-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 235,311, dated December'7, 1880. Application filed November 8, 1879.

T0 all whom it may uu'ltcv'l 72,:

Be it known that LJOHN STEPHENSON, of the city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tram-Cars, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, making part of thisspecification, in Which Figure 1 represents a side elevation, partly insection, of a tram-car with myimprovements applied. Fig. 2 is a similarview, partly broken away, showing the improved gate at the forward end,and the depressed step-platform at the rear end. Fig. 3 is an enlargedside elevation of one end of the car, showing the improved gate forclosing the platform. Fig. 4 is a partial plan view of the same. Fig. 5is a partial front elevation with the gate open, showing, also, the handand grab rail, hereinafter described. Fig. 6 shows an enlarged plan viewand front and side elevation of the eye or socket plate for locking thegate in its closed position. Fig. 7 shows similar views, and also asectional view, of the pocket or receptacle for the gate hook or latchfor holding the gate open detached from the dash Fig. 8, a sideelevation of the corner standard or pillar of the dash forming thegate-pivot, showing the mannerof hanging the gate thereon, and Fig. 9shows the receptacle in the dash for the gate-hook and the means forlocking and releasing the hook.

Similar letters of reference denote corresponding parts wherever used.

The invention consists in employing cornerpillars on the dash of atram-car as pivots upon which to hang gates having a capabilityofmovement to and from the corner-posts of the car for closing oropening the platform, and in novel means for holding the gate in eitherposition. 7

It further consists in a novel construction and arrangement of,hand-rails for giving increased security in entering and leaving thecar, and in certain details of construction and arrangement hereinafterdescribed.

The system of conductorless cars for tramways is rapidly spreading, andthe use of double-ender cars for such purpose has developed a new classof wants. Open platforms to such cars are objectionable, not onlybecause most of the serious accidents occur to persons falling from thefront platform, but the driver of such car should be secluded, that hisundivided attention may be given to the multifarious requirements of hisposition, consequently some ready method of closing the platform whichfor the timebeingiislin front is necessary.

Gates in various forms have been used, some made portable to be carriedfrom one end of the car to the other. This requires labor incompatiblewith the duties of the driver of such car. Other gates have been hingedat the corner of the body, to fold, when open, against the end of thecar or the inner side of the dash. This is found objectionable, asplacing the gate in a position obstructing the ingress and egress ofpassengers.

My invention avoids these difficulties, and for this purpose I modifythe corner standards or pillars A of the dash G, adapting such pillarsto act as pivots, on which I hang the gates B, and around which saidgates swing.

The lock-style B of the gate is provided with a hook, B, of proper formto enter an eye, D, at the corner of the body, the eye having at itsfarther side a lug or stop, D, to prevent the gate-hook from passingbeyond the eye. This connection secures the gate in position to closethe platform, and when the platform is to be left open the gate is swungaround against the front of the dash, and the hook referred to enters apocket or receptacle, F, in the dash, and the gateis thus held open.

The receptacle for the gate-hook is formed by making an opening in thedash apron, through which the hook is projected, and the hook is coveredby a cap fastened to the inner side of the apron. To prevent noise orwear a piece of india-rubber, F, is secured within the receptacle insuch manner that the hook and the weight of the gate rest upon it. Thismethod of fastening the gate open, while regarded as the best, is notthe only way, as an eye secured to the front of the dash, or othersuitable device for holding the gate-hook, may be employed but it isdesirable to avoid having projections on the dash-apron, which mightcome in contact with and injure the horse.

To prevent mischievous persons from unfastening the gate and allowing itto swing around loose, the receptacle F for the gatehook may be providedwith an eccentric, F", bolt, or other suitable device for locking thegate-hook in place, said device being adapted to be operated by thedriver for releasing the hook, when desired.

The absence of a conductor to assist intirm persons, ladies, andchildren makes it important that the platform of the car be withinconvenient distance of the ground, so that the intervening step may beeasy. I accomplish this by blocking down the bearers E" by means of atransverse strip, E, interposed between said bearers and the end sill ofthe car, said strip filling the space between the end sill and theplatform-flooring E, and preventing injury to the feet of thepassengers. Increased strength with diminished weight is given to theconstruction by spreading the bearers under the car in such manner thatthe ends under the car-floor shall be wider apart than the ends at thenose-piece or outer verge of the platform. The ends under the car-bodyare, by preference, bolted directly to the side sills of the car, butthere is advantage in any degree of approximation thereto.

When the platform is constructed and arranged as described the distanceof the platform from the ground is so diminished as to permit theemployment of a single intervening step, making but two intervals, shortand easily accomplished, while at the same time keeping the platform upso near the level of the car-floor as to obviate danger to personsleaving the car without observing that the platform is depressed.

To assist persons ascending to or leaving the platform, I apply agrab-handle at the corner of the car, having a vertical member, H, ofsuch form as to be easily grabbed, and from the lower end of thisgrab-handle 1 project another member, H, ascending at a suitable angleto the door-standing pillar near the belt-rail. This forms a hand-railon which the hand ot' the passenger can rest in ascending anddescending. Upon this hand-rail, about midway between its ends, isformed a collar, bulb, or enlargement, H, which affords a resting-placefor the hand, beneficial :m ascending and descending. The grab-handlethus made is fastened to the car-body through two feet, H H, located onthe panel-plate over the corner pillar, H, into or through which theretaining screws or bolts are passed, and similar fastenings serve tosecure the inner end of the handle to the door-standing pillar orbelt-rail, a firm support for the handle being thus obtained at bothends.

The ear is provided with mechanism enabling the driver to open and closethe rear door, said mechanism, in the present instance, being arrangedin the top of the car.

J represents a lever. arranged in the forward part of the hood or bonnetM, and connected by a rock-shaft and crank-arm, or other suitable means,with the door at the opposite end of the car, for operating it.

L is a bell (shown arranged in the hood) operated through a strap, Lpassing lengthwise at the side of the car, and a series of hellpulls, L,arranged upon the frame posts or uprights of the car-body, as shown, andwithin convenient reach of the passengers in their seats.

K represents a mirror, arranged under the hood or bonnet in advance ofthe driver, made adjustable, that it may be set at a suitable angle toenable the driver to observe the movements of the passengers withoutnecessitating his turning around for that purpose.

As the features of arrangement of parts last above referred to are madethe subject-matter of another division of this application, they neednot be described in detail here.

I is a box for the reception of fares, said box being of any usual orpreferred construction and arrangement.

Where the car is to be drawn always with the same end in advance, it maysometimes be preferred to use at the rear end of the car what I term adepressed-step platform,such as shown at 0, Fig. 2, in lieu of the oneabove described. In this case the usual side step or steps are dispenedwith, the platform itself being depressed by means of angular bearers,as shown, in such manner as to divide the distance between the car-floorand theground. This depressed platform is provided at its rear end witha dash or projecting hand-rail, so arranged that passengers leaving thecar step down first upon the platform, and turning thence to one side orthe other, step from said platform to the ground at one side of the car,the platform extending laterally to or beyond the tram way or track.This arrangement serves to insure safety to near-sighted persons andpassengers leaving the car in the nighttime, and failing to notice thatthe platform is depressed, this having been found a source of accidentwhere only an ordinary step is used between the car-floor and theground.

Parts of the car not particularly described may be constructed andarranged in any usual or preferred way.

Having now described my invention, I claim 1. A tram-car with endplatforms, having the dash corner pillars made in proper form andarranged as pivots, on which are hung gates having a capability ofmotion from the corner of the body to the dash.

2. A tram-car with gates hung on the dash corner pillars, around whichthe gates rotate.

3. A tram-car with gates hung on the dash corner pillars, around whichthe gates rotate from the corner of the car-body to the front side ofthe dash.

4. A tram-car with gates hung on the dash corner pillars, on and aroundwhich the gates rotate, the lock-stile of the gates being provided withhooks lodged in eyes at the corners of the body.

5. A tram-car with gates hung and pivoted on the dash corner pillars,and the hook on the lock-stile lodged in an eye near the corner of thebody, the eye being provided with a stop or fence, to prevent the gatefrom passing through and beyond the eye.

6. A tram-ear with gates pivoted on the dash corner pillars, thelock-stile of the gate having a hook for fastening the gate open orshut.

7. A tram-car with gates pivoted on the dash corner pillars, and with astile-hook fastening the gate shut when in union with an eye at thecorner of the body, or fastening the gate open when it is folded againstthe dash, with the hook passing through an orifice in the dash.

8. A tram-car having gates for closing the platforms, the gates,whenopen, folding against the dash, and the stile-hook of the gate passingthrough the dash-apron and fastening the gate, the gate-hook beingcapped or having a receptacle covering the hook.

9. In a tram-car, the combination of the gate-hook, receptacle, andindia-rubber, substantially as described.

10. In a tram-car, the combination of the gate-hook, receptacle, andcam, bolt, or other suitable device forming a lock to prevent improperloosening of the gate.

11. A tram-car provided with an inclined hand-rail, having at someconvenient place between its ends a collar, bulb, or enlargement forgreater security of the hand-gripe.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 3d day ofNovember, 1879.

JOHN STEPHENSON.

Witnesses:

STUART A. STEPHENsoN, J OHN S. PUGH.

